Venetian blind cleaner



Oct. 21, 1958 J. c. DELACRETAZ 2,856,625

VENETIAN BLIND CLEANER Filed Aug. 16, 1955 FIG.

INVENTOR JEAN C. DELACRETAZ BY 5W 6* 514mm:

ATTORNEYS problems in maintenance.

VENETIAN BLIND CLEANER Jean Charles Delacretaz, Coburg, Victoria, Australia Application August 16, 1955, Serial No. 528,783

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-244) The present invention relates to cleaning implements and more particularly to a device designed to facilitate the cleaning of Venetian blinds and comparable slatted window coverings.

One object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus adapted for direct application to the slat elements of Venetian blinds without their removal from the blind assembly.

A second object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus adapted to handle eifectively opposed sides of a blind slat element simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning apparatus adapted to handle effectively a plurality of blind slatlelements simultaneously.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which adjusts itself automatically to the configuration of the blind slats being treated to assure complete coverage thereof.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved device embodying the invention as applied to a Venetian blind;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cleaner per se; and

Figure 3 is a top view thereof.

Although Venetian blinds are widely employed by many interior decorators in lieu of the more standard glass curtain, the substitution has occasioned numerous Deterioration of finish has been largely overcome through the use of new lacquers and enamels applied to an aluminum or steel base. The use of metal slats has also eliminated breakage and warpage. Newer synthetic textiles have provided more durable tapes and control cords. Cleaning of the Venetian blinds has, however, remained a difiicult and time consuming task.

Many suggestions have been advanced for expeditious handling of this cleaning operation but none has been entirely satisfactory even for the wiping of a single surface of a single blind slat. And attempts to improvise devices which could handle a plurality of slats simultaneously met with less success.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates a cleaning device in which a plurality of spongeous wiping elements are secured in spaced parallel relationship upon a forked rack, handled for ready manipulation and insertion between a series of blind slats, the wiping elements being of such shape and consistency as to admit of ready conformation to the opposed slat surfaces for thorough cleansing contact therewith.

Referring to the drawings, the cleansing device therein illustrated comprises a unitary forked rack 1, formed of a suitable material such as plastic, molded rubber or sheet metal, having a connecting body portion 2 provided with a handle 3 and a plurality of prongs 4 or fingers arranged in regularly spaced relation projecting therefrom. The prongs 4 terminate in cross-heads 5 which extend slightly to each side thereof in a common plane. The rack 1 is preferably of planar or fiat form to simplify manufacture and is provided with a peripheral heading 6 to impart greater strength and rigidity thereto.

Spongeous wiping elements 8 of synthetic cellulated.

plastic material, latex sponge rubber, cellulosic sponge and the like are secured to each of the prongs 4, the cross heads 5 assisting to reinforce the assembly. The elements 8 may be composed of complementary sections -adhesively secured to each other and to the prongs 4 by a suitable cement or may be unitary blocks pocketed for mounting over the said prongs, with an adhesive binder serving to retain them in place.

The wiping elements 8 are substantially rectangular blocks of uniform dimensions. The width of the elements 8 will be slightly greater than the standardized spacing between the slats of the conventional Venetian blind in order that a positive pressure will be exerted against the slat surfaces when the cleaning device is being used. The length of the elements is preferably greater than the width of the slats of the conventional blind to insure complete coverage of the slat surfaces during the wiping operation and also to facilitate wiper manipulation around the control cords, tapes, and cradle supports of the blinds. The elements 8 have perceptible depth for increased surface area contacting the slat surfaces. The exact dimensions of the elements 8 are not critical and may be varied over wide limits as desired. Manifestly, however, with increasing size the cleansing device of the invention becomes more difiicult to handle and in particular if the depth of the blocks is too great cleansing of the blind slats in the vicinity of or behind the supporting tapes will be virtually impossible.

The slat contacting faces 9 of the elements 8 are preferably curved longitudinally to conform to the arcuate shape most common to modern Venetian blind slats, with adjacent faces having complementary curves. Such curved surfaces do not, however, preclude use of the device to clean blinds having flat slats since the inherent resiliency of the spongeous elements 8 enables conformation thereof to slats of various shapes. The adjacent faces of the elements are spaced slightly to facilitate ease of reception of a blind slat therebetween. This spacing between wiping elements is obtained through proper correlation of element size, configuration and placement upon the supporting forks 4 which are in turn in regular spaced alignment. The leading edges of the wiping elements 8 are cut at an angle or beveled, as at 10, thus providing guide means simplifying proper positioning of the cleansing device over the slats of a blind.

As shown in Figure 1, my cleansing device is used by introducing the spongeous elements 8 between adjacent slats of a blind and wiping of a plurality of slat surfaces is effected by a single motion. Elasticity of the spongeous elements 8 insures full contact over the slat surfaces, regardless of configuration and compensating automatically for surface irregularities, thus avoiding the sleaks, streaks or missed areas observed with other types of wipers. The work contacting surfaces of the elements 8 collect and retain dust and dirt particles most eificiently. The spongeous elements may be used to apply liquid detergents to the slat surfaces when a more thorough cleansing thereof is desired and thereafter will be available to dry and polish those cleansed surfaces. The cleansing device may be quickly and completely washed by a simple immersion in soap and water solutions accompanied by some slight agitation. Upon being pressed dry, it is again ready for use.

It will at once be obvious that various modifications in the form and substance of the component elements of my device and their arrangement are possible without tion, a "connecting body portion and a pronged portion,

saidpronge'd portion comprising a plurality of equally spaced'and aligned prongs, said prongs and saidhan'dle' portion projecting outwardly from the said connecting body portion at opposite ends thereof respectively, and a'plurality-of'similar, longitudinally abutting wiping elements'mounted on the said prongs, each of said wiping the slats, the abuttinglongitudinal surfaces of adjacent:

wiping elements between which a blind slat is insertable being complementar'ily concavely and .convexly curved so -as to approximate-the normal curvature of a blind slat, and means on the said prongs for mounting the wiping elements thereon in a fixed alignment with respect to each other. i

2. A cleaning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the leading edges of said wiping elements adjacent the curved longitudinal surfaces are beveled so as to facilitate the entry of slats therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 351,798 Robinson Nov. 2, 1886 2,172,479 McMillen Sept. 12, 1939 2,622,256 Vojacek -Dec. 23, 1952 2,716,769 Satterfield Sept. 6, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 159,184 Australia Oct. 5, 1954 

